by successfulbob | 4K photo mode, 4K video, Lumix G7, Lumix Lounge, macro, photography creativity, photography gear
Using Post Focus Photography
It’s a feature I wasn’t sure I had a reason for but again in the studio I used the Post Focus Setting on the Lumix-G7 to focus stack to get a different look from my 45mm Macro lens. This image started with a seven second video clip with the focus point being moved by the camera as the camera searched through all of it’s focus points. I’ve found the camera to capture as little as one second of video to as much as ten seconds depending on subject matter and how deep the focus goes through the scene.
This is my favorite rendition of the rose.
Create the Image from the Video
The steps I used were to download the video. Open it in Adobe Premiere Pro and select the still frames I wanted to work with and saved them as TIFF images. I wanted a soft and sharp movement through the final image. All 17 selected images were loaded into a single Photoshop document by using the Adobe Bridge command Tools>Photoshop> Load Files into Photoshop Layers after selecting all the images. Once the images are in Photoshop all layers were selected and under the Edit menu the Auto-Align setting was applied. Then under the Edit menu Auto Blend Layers was selected with the settings Stack Images with the Seamless Tones & Colors checked. This will take all the ‘Sharp Bits’ Of the image and mask them in.
The set of images saved out to individual files for the Post Focus video capture.
Layers Palette after adding images to file, aligning images and blending. Photoshop automatically created the masks.
Rose photograph after blending and cleaning up imperfections in the flower. Used Photoshop Tools then moved in to NIK Color EFX Pro 4 for further modification.
Talking Photography Tools
The tools we have to work with like Photoshop & NIK Color EFX Pro 4 can take images to an entirely new level and I keep trying to push to see what I can do. I hope this has been a help to you and at the very least given you some inspiration to think about image making in a new light.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
PS – The Google NIK entire collection of software plugins is only $149. Great suite of tools!
by successfulbob | 4K photo mode, Lumix GX8, macro, photography, photography education, photography software, photoshop tutorial, wildlife photography
Choose your focus later.
The photography world is changing around you as I write this post! At least it feels that way as new cameras and features are introduced in short order. I’ve never been on the front edge of technology before and it’s fun trying to figure uses for features as they come out. A lot of the new capabilities is driven by possibilities not available before 4K mirrorless cameras came on the scene.
This is a very interesting new feature called Post Focus.
This is for stable non-moving subjects where you might not be sure of the focus point you want and would like to have options to choose later for a totally different look and feel to a subject of a scene.
Here’s how it works. The camera makes a quick video of a scene while moving the focus point throughout the frame. Because the camera is automatically set for Photo Mode each still frame can be extracted from the video as an eight MP file. At the end of processing after a few seconds you can see the individual frames on the back of the camera and choose any that you would like to save out as individual jpeg photos.
Want to be able to choose later? Not a problem. Download the video file and take it in an editing program like Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, or Lightroom. There you can step through each frame and choose at your leisure on a large screen and save out your file.
I decided to see if I could use the system to help with the capture of Macro images and the process of focus stacking to get deep detail in an image.
And guess what ?? It works!
I Imported the MP4 file into Adobe Premiere and used the right arrow to move through each individual frame. Selected the ones I wanted to work with and pushed the save as an image (camera icon) and saved the images out as a TIFF. Then it’s off to Adobe Bridge.
Screen capture of Bridge selections with all 28 files selected with the still captures pulled from the video.
With files selected the next move is Tools > Photoshop > Load Images into Layers
Layers Palette with all layers selected in preparation for Photoshop magic.
Once all layers are selected they need to be put in registration because a change in focus changes the size of the image. Menu Edit > Auto-Align Layers.
Once layers are aligned Menu Edit > Auto-Blend Layers with the Stack Images and Seemless Tones and Colors checked. Depending on the number and size of your files the the RAM horsepower of your computer this could take a little while but it’s doing all the work you see below masking in all the sharp portions of the images.
Palette window with proper selections for picking and masking in all the sharp bits it can find in the images. Making all of these masks would be super time intensive. Sometimes the individual masks may need a little tweaking if you didn’t get enough detail or colors and tones are very close.
Grasshopper with detail and depth of field exactly where I want it.
The image was captured with the Lumix GX8 and the 45mm f2.8 Macro lens set at f9 in Post Focus Mode. “Why f9 and not f22 and be done with it Bob?” When photographing close-up Macro subjects the DOF is very shallow even at f22. In addition as the aperture gets smaller diffraction is introduced starting to blur details. (learn more about diffraction and check out your camera lens combo to find the sweet spot here)
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
PS – No grasshoppers were harmed in the making of this tutorial. The grasshopper was already mummified when I found it on my porch.
by successfulbob | Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, macro, photography education, photography gear
“When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it whether they want to or not.” Georgia O’Keeffe
In the desert southwest the smallest of flowers dot the landscape at certain times of year. I agree with Georgia that sharing the world that many pass by is a cool thing… These particular flowers can easily go by unnoticed because of tiny size. These flowers are about the size of my thumbnail.
Tiny desert flower bloom
To capture a flower this size takes a little thought and manipulation. This was captured with the Lumix GH4 and 35-100mm 2.8 Vario lens with 26 mm of extension tubes from Neewer Technologies (get two sets they are very inexpensive and you can magnify even more using the technique below). When you have that much extension Depth of Field is extremely shallow. In order to get the buds and the first flower in total focus to share the miniscule detail I added a tripod and the technique of focus stacking. I focused on the bud in the foreground and made an exposure, changed focus to the bud a little further into the image followed by multiple captures across the surface of the flower. These exposures were taken into Adobe Photoshop and blended together using Photo Merge. When this process is used Photoshop will stack the images and blend together the sharpest parts of the image giving an increased DOF.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | fine art photography, Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, macro, photography, photography education, photography gear
I took my Lumix GH4 out for a hike yesterday. I was accompanied by it’s friends the 7-14mm f4, it’s cousin 12-35 f2.8 and it’s big brother the 35-100mm f2.8. This combination of camera and lenses gives me the 35mm equivalent focal range of 14-to 200mm with fast glass. Add a spare battery, a five in one 20 inch Westcott reflector, some extension tubes and put it all in a small Tenba ‘Switch 10’ bag and I’m ready for almost anything I might come across photographically.
Oh, did I mention all of that gear weighs just a bit over six pounds? Throw in a MeFoto backpacker tripod and water for the hike and it’s still under ten pounds. TOTAL.
The Lumix Micro 4/3rds Mirrorless system rocks!
Happened upon this stand of delicate little lavender flowers.
Mounted the GH4 with 35-100mm on the tripod. Added a 10mm Vello extension tube and it looks like this in full sun.
Open the 5 in 1 Westcott reflector, take off the cover and use the scrim between the sun and the flower and look at the change.
I think I’ll take the kit out for a hike again tomorrow.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
PS – If you use the links to Amazon.com as an affiliate I will receive a small percentage form the sale. It helps support photographer education and the Successful-Photographer web site. TIA.
by successfulbob | Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, macro, photography, photography education
Flowers of all shapes sizes and colors often make a good subject for photographs. And if you can get to a place like Selby Gardens in Sarasota, Florida, all the better for having a pile of subject matter to pick from.
Since I’ve been all artsy-fartsy with the birds I’ve been photographing I thought it might be time for a little realistic imagery. Here are a few from the Selby Gardens botanical collection…
Not sure of the name of this one but I love the color contrast against the soft background. Natural light filtered through foliage gave the soft lighting against the sunlight falling against the green leaves in the distance.
Orchids are very interesting subjects. They almost look Sci-Fi to me especially when you get in close. Something from another world.
Another orchid. These are from the Phalaenopsis family.
In order to focus closer to get these details of the throats of the orchids I added Vello Extension Tubes to the 35-100mm Lumix Vario f2.8 lens. Images made with the Lumix GH4
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | fine art photography, graphic design, Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, macro, photography education, photography gear
The flower garden at the B&B at which I’m staying has some beautiful blooms… So I’m playing and experimenting with the Lumix GX7, 35-100mm f2.8 and and Vello extension tubes.
Rose petals close-up with extension tubes. Opening up the shadows and lowering the highlights with the GX7’s in camera curves setting.
I always enjoy details revealed when photographing flora with back lighting.
Have you played lately??
Yours in Creative Photography, bob
